Traffic at O’Fallon exit ramp backs up onto I-64. IDOT has $67M plan to fix the interchange
Long-awaited roadwork to alleviate traffic from Interstate 64 at the North Green Mount Road intersection to O’Fallon and Shiloh is expected to be completed in 2026, according to the latest Illinois Department of Transportation estimates.
Plans to add additional lanes to the area have been in development for years because of safety concerns at rush hour. Cars can stack up on I-64’s eastbound Exit 16 ramp as they wait at the traffic light at the North Green Mount Road intersection, those who use it have complained.
At times the line of cars is so long that it backs up onto the interstate, creating the potential for rear-end crashes from oncoming traffic.
U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski raised concerns about the danger in September after seeing a viral TikTok video of traffic backing up onto I-64 from the Exit 16 ramp, with most cars waiting to turn right into Shiloh.
Budzinski sent a letter to Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman requesting that the agency speed up the planned work.
The Illinois Department of Transportation stated Tuesday that the project schedule has “remained aggressive throughout” so that it could begin work as quickly as possible.
It anticipates that it will start accepting bids for the construction on March 7, 2025, according to a letter it recently sent to St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern requesting an agreement to allow the state to perform work on North Green Mount, a county road.
The work is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2026, the letter states.
The St. Clair County Board on Monday night authorized Kern to execute the agreement.
The agency wants to widen both the I-64 eastbound and westbound exit ramps at the intersection with North Green Mount Road to provide two turn lanes in either direction. It also plans to widen that section of I-64 from two lanes to three.
North Green Mount Road will also be expanding to provide:
Southbound and northbound right turn lanes at I-64 on-ramps
Two southbound left turn lanes, two southbound through lanes, and two southbound right turn lanes at the intersection of Green Mount Crossing and Central Park Drive
The total cost of the project is estimated at $67.3 million. It will be paid for with both state and federal funds, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
